"Junior Brother Xu, you’ve rendered a great service this time," Gao Lin said with a smile.
You killed Guan Du, the Blood Lotus Sect’s mole in the Purple Sun Sect, and you slew the Tuo Dragon that was plaguing the mine. Most importantly, you recovered that head-sized piece of Spirit Iron and eliminated those parasites of the Sect, like Chen Yong.
"This is the reward Master requested from the Sect for you."
Gao Lin handed over a Jade Box. Xu Yang opened it to find a Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill inside.
"Thank you, Master. I’m grateful for his concern." Xu Yang closed the Jade Box again.
Gao Lin said, "You deserve it. This Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill is just a bonus reward. When your garrison duty here ends, the contribution points you’ve earned will still be awarded to you as normal.
Now, where’s that Spirit Iron? Quick, take it out and let me see."
Xu Yang went and fetched the head-sized piece of Fish Scale Steel. Gao Lin and the others gasped in amazement. A piece of Spirit Iron this large... even in his many years on Li Fire Peak, he had only seen such a thing a few times. No wonder Chen Yong had been willing to take such a risk.
"This is a precious item; we must escort it back to the Sect immediately. Junior Brother Xu, we’ll leave this place in your and Steward Liu’s hands. We’ll catch up properly once we’re all back in the Sect."
Gao Lin took out a bag, packed the Spirit Iron inside, and immediately bid Xu Yang farewell.
Xu Yang nodded, not attempting to detain them. Cupping his fist, he said, "Be careful on the road, my three Senior Brothers."
Gao Lin, Zhu Yuan, and Hong Lei cupped their fists, then turned and strode away.
"Zhou Jiang, show Steward Liu around the mine!" Xu Yang said, turning to Zhou Jiang and Liu Xunjiang.
Zhou Jiang nodded. Liu Xunjiang smiled and said, "I’ll be in your care from now on, Junior Brother Xu."
He had not come alone; he had brought two disciples whose cultivation was at the Great Success of Gang Qi.
"I’m not in a position to look after you, Senior Brother Liu. Nominally, you’re the one in charge of the mine." Xu Yang felt that Liu Xunjiang’s smile never quite reached his eyes; the man was deeply calculating.
Liu Xunjiang chuckled, cupped his fist, and left with Zhou Jiang to take over the mine’s affairs.
With Liu Xunjiang presiding over the mine’s affairs, Xu Yang’s days fell back into a routine. Besides his daily cultivation, he practiced his Weapon Forging Skill.
The weather grew colder. Before he knew it, he had consumed two more Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pills, and more than two months had passed since he arrived at Moon Lake.
[Bright King Unmoving Body - Introduction (3998/4000)]
Between the Fuyue Bear Scripture and Bright King Unmoving Body, it was Bright King Unmoving Body that first reached the verge of a breakthrough.
’Once I reach Minor Achievement in Bright King Unmoving Body, even if my body isn’t as tough as a Half-Spirit Weapon, it won’t be far off. At the very least, I’ll be able to withstand a few strikes from one.’
Back then, Li Ye, at only the Minor Achievement Realm, was able to fight Gao Lin’s Half-Spirit Weapon with his bare body. He was incredibly formidable.
Of course, there were other reasons for that. He couldn’t expect to reach Li Ye’s level the moment he broke through.
Li Ye had a Great Achievement in Gang Qi Cultivation, and his Bright King Unmoving Body was far beyond the initial stage of the Minor Achievement Realm. Also, the Half-Spirit Weapon in Gao Lin’s hands was less powerful than Red Blood.
However, Half-Spirit Weapons like Red Blood were rare. Once he reached Minor Achievement, he wouldn’t have to be so afraid of their killing strikes.
After eating, Xu Yang shut the door to his room, consumed two Profound Yuan Qi Transformation Pills, and began his breakthrough.
Guided by the Bright King Unmoving Heart Method, his sharp, ferocious Golden Gang Qi began to temper his flesh, muscles, and bones like a forge fire, refining every inch of his skin.
Under the dim oil lamp, a golden light surged beneath his skin. His blood roared like a dragon, and a majestic aura brewed within him, like a volcano gathering its final strength before an eruption.
As time crept toward midnight, the bottleneck began to loosen. The strength that had stagnated for days started to slowly increase again.
CRACK!
A crisp cracking sound echoed in Xu Yang’s Heart Spirit, followed by a roar like mountains crumbling and oceans raging. It was as if some kind of restraint had been shattered. Xu Yang’s bones and muscles chimed in unison, and his vital energy and blood began to boil.
Throughout his entire body, a tyrannical power flowed out from an unknown source, wildly scouring his flesh, blood, muscles, and bones.
Xu Yang felt the power in his body surging rapidly. His muscles, bones, and flesh were continuously strengthening, and his dense vital energy and blood felt like they would burst from his pores.
His skin turned crimson, then quickly transformed into a jade-like hue, becoming fair and tender.
His physical body was like a long-parched earth, greedily devouring the Golden Gang Qi. Even the undigested remnants of the Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pill in his stomach were now being rapidly absorbed.
His muscles coiled and bulged, yet their lines were smooth and natural, giving off an impression of indestructibility.
[Bright King Unmoving Body·Minor Achievement (1/8000)]
The surge of power slowed. Xu Yang opened his eyes, filled with a powerful confidence—that he could shatter the heavens with a single punch and withstand the killing blow of a Half-Spirit Weapon with his bare body.
The surging, explosive power felt as if it would burst from his chest, and his blood roared through his body like a great river.
He lightly poked his chest and felt that his muscles were frighteningly hard, as if they were not flesh and blood, but cold metal.
’Minor Achievement and Entry Level are truly worlds apart. No wonder Li Ye could fight Senior Brother Gao Lin and his Half-Spirit Weapon with his bare body.’
Bright King Unmoving Body integrated both offense and defense. The fruits of his months of hard cultivation were only now truly revealed.
His form, lustrous white like jade, looked like a natural work of art.
Xu Yang grabbed Red Blood from beside him and, using fifty percent of his strength, slashed forcefully at his arm. Sparks flew, yet it only left a white mark and failed to break the skin.
He tried again with one hundred percent of his strength, but still couldn’t even break the skin.
He now had a much better understanding of his body’s defenses and didn’t continue the test.
He hadn’t used his Gang Qi, nor his even stronger Blade Qi. Of course it wasn’t impossible for him to injure himself. This was just a test; there was no need to actually get hurt.
But by his estimation, if he circulated his Protective Gang Qi, an ordinary person at Marrow Cleansing Great Success, even with a Half-Spirit Weapon, probably couldn’t truly hurt him.
If he were to fight the Tuo Dragon now, he should be able to slay it with ease.
[Bright King Unmoving Body Minor Achievement, Points +50]
[Martial Arts Longevity Points: 512]
The next day, Xu Yang slept until late in the morning. When he walked out into the courtyard, he felt refreshed and invigorated. The benefits of achieving a breakthrough in his Body Refining were not limited to a stronger physique and greater power.
His Essence, Qi, and Spirit had all undergone a great change, and his Heart Spirit was purer and more refined.
He couldn’t help but start moving in the courtyard, practicing the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist he had first cultivated. His blood flowed like viscous mercury, and his vital energy and blood boiled like fire.
"Invigorating!"
After one set, he felt his five senses were crystal clear. His whole body felt cleansed and pure, and his body was brimming with vitality.
’This Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist... it’s actually part of the Fuyue Bear Scripture.’
An epiphany rose in his heart. He felt that the Fuyue Bear Scripture within him had undergone another change, becoming even more profound.
"Brother Xu, are you there?"
"I am!"
Just then, Zhou Jiang’s voice came from outside the courtyard gate. Xu Yang called him in.
"What is it?"
Zhou Jiang nodded. "There are a few people outside the mine. They claim to be the young master of the Song Family from Cyan Yang City and want to stay at the mine for a few days to recuperate."
Xu Yang’s brow furrowed slightly. There were many families with the surname Song in Cyan Yang City, but only one dared to use the title "Young Master of the Song Family"—the Song Family that was one of the ten great families, overseen by a Celestial Essence expert.
"Tell them to go somewhere else. The mine isn’t an inn; we don’t receive outsiders," Xu Yang said.
’It doesn’t matter if he’s really the young master of the Song Family or not. Even if he is, I can’t let them in. If something happens, I can’t bear the responsibility.’
’Besides, who knows if they really just want to recuperate for a few days, or if they have other business? The Yunling Mountain Range is no safe haven.’
Zhou Jiang hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. Judging by their bearing, he was sure they were indeed from the Song Family.
’These people must have been injured while training in the Yunling Mountain Range and came here to recuperate.’
’He felt there shouldn’t be any harm in letting them in. Turning them away would mean offending them. Even if Xu Yang was one of the Ten Prodigies, he still had to consider the weight of one of the ten great families.’
"Yes!"
But Xu Yang had given the order, so he had to obey.
"Wait!"
Liu Xunjiang’s voice rang out from outside the courtyard, and he immediately strode in. "Junior Brother Xu, an ancestor of the Song Family was once a Peak Master of our Purple Sun Sect. For many years, they have sent disciples to study here. You could say we’re all one family. Now that a descendant of the Song Family has come to our mine, how can we simply turn them away?"
’What he said made some sense, but Xu Yang knew it was just an excuse. Liu Xunjiang either had some connection to the Song Family or was just trying to curry favor.’
He looked at Liu Xunjiang calmly and said, "Then what do you think we should do, Steward Liu?"